


Buffy Summers: Liaison Extraordinare

by secondalto



Series: Avengers/BtVS crossover [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-02-03 07:24:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1736096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secondalto/pseuds/secondalto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>when Buffy actually gets to know the Avengers, fun is to be had.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buffy Summers: Liaison Extraordinare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rainne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainne/gifts).



> written for Rainne who wanted more Avengers/Buffy crossover. It's a follow up to [this](http://secondalto.dreamwidth.org/414670.html).

Buffy stood on the sidewalk, looking up at Stark’s ode to himself, wondering how Giles had talked her into doing this. She was going to be the liaison between the new Watchers Council and the Avengers Initiative. (She would think later about how that last word still gave her the heebie-jeebies.)Darcy’s name had been tossed out at the initial meeting, but ultimately Buffy was going to be the better go between. 

Even if this assignment didn’t turn out well she was in New York; she had time and money for some _really_ good retail therapy. She pulled back her shoulders, straightened the strap of her purse and headed confidently for the entrance to what everyone was now calling Avengers Tower. She hadn’t gone two steps when she bumped into someone coming from the other direction, also heading for the entrance.

“Hey,” she said, turning to look at the rude person.

“Watch it… oh! Buffy! Hi!” Darcy Lewis said, holding onto a cup of coffee for dear life.

“Darcy” Buffy smiled; glad to see her fellow slayer. “I was just heading into the tower to take the job you wouldn’t do.”

Darcy looked unabashed and shrugged. “I’m too busy wrangling three scientists. Taking care of Tony alone is the equivalent of TWO full time jobs.”

“I’m teasing,” Buffy said. “Giles said I needed to get away from Scotland anyway. I hear the shoes here are to die for.”

“Yours are cute,” Darcy said. “Are they…?” They both looked down at Buffy’s shoes. Buffy held out a foot. It was encased in a deep blue kitten heel that really went with her dress. 

“Knock offs, sadly. They were all I could afford at the time,” Buffy sighed, shrugging.

Darcy grinned. “Remind me to let Pepper show you her shoe closets.”

“Closets? Plural?” Buffy squeaked, hoping she wasn’t drooling.

“Welcome to New York,” Darcy said, leading her into the tower. Buffy followed eagerly, ready to face her new job.

*~*~*~*~*~

Once Buffy was shown to her room, she was left on her own. Not that she did much, being a Slayer meant squat when it came to jet lag. Darcy had said she would take care of patrolling, so Buffy didn’t have to worry too much about that. She managed to unpack the bags that had been sent ahead before collapsing on the really huge bed. The mattress was like a marshmallow met a cloud and had babies. She slept for the rest of the day. The next morning she was awakened by an alarm. She glanced around but didn’t see a clock.

“Excuse me, Miss Summers,” a smooth British voice from the ceiling said.

“Uh… hi?” she replied, looking around to see where it had come from.

“I am JARVIS. I am an artificial intelligence and Mr. Stark’s majordomo. Miss Lewis asked that I set the alarm for you as she knew you would want an early start to the day.”

“Okay, cool. Thanks?”

“You are most welcome, Miss Summers. Miss Lewis asked that you be shown the communal kitchen. I will guide you there when you are ready.”

“Sounds good, I can follow directions. Is there a gym around here somewhere?”

“There is a facility here in the tower. I will guide you there as well when you are finished with breakfast. Is there anything else I can help you with Miss Summers?”

“Call me Buffy?”

“As you like, Buffy.”

She smiled and made her way to the bathroom. When she was done and ready to eat she opened the door to the suite and JARVIS provided clear, precise directions to get her to the kitchen. A note from Darcy, left on the fridge, told her to help herself and that JARVIS would take care of her. Darcy was going to be busy in the lab with Jane for most of the morning.  There was enough food to feed an army. Or several super powered beings including a Slayer.  Buffy indulged in bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and juice. After breakfast JARVIS guided her into an elevator and then, after the short ride, to the gym.

He left her at the door where she stood and stared for a moment. She spotted Clint first. He was sparring with….Black Widow?  She watched for a while, in awe that she was going to work with Black Widow. Okay, maybe more with her alter ego Natasha Romanoff, but still. She glanced around and saw _Captain Freaking America_.  Wasn’t he just a tall drink of all-American yummy?  She shook her head. From what Darcy told her, Steve was nothing like his superhero persona, so Buffy was going to have to remember that. She took a breath and stepped into the room. She was here to be a liaison; she might as well start liaising.

“So where can a girl get a good workout around here?” she asked casually.

“Hey, Buff, I’ll take you on in a –oof,” Clint took a foot to the stomach and crumpled to the mat.

“You seem a little busy there,” she replied. She looked over to Steve. “How about it, Captain? Care to go a few rounds?”

Steve stopped his workout, holding onto the bag as he looked at her. “I don’t think so, Miss Summers.”

“You’ve fought with her?” Buffy asked, nodding to Natasha. 

“Yes, but… no offense, Miss Summers. I could hurt you,” he said, shaking his head, readying to go at the bag again. 

“It’s Buffy,” she insisted. Then she looked him right in the eye. “And I’m tougher that I look. How about a little wager? If you win, I’ll buy drinks tonight.”

Steve hesitated but there were whistles and cat-calls coming from the mats. Natasha had obviously finished beating Clint up. He just nodded and they headed over, waiting for the two assassins to make room. Steve looked wary and Buffy gave him her brightest, most bubble headed grin. 

They circled each other for a minute, Buffy sizing Steve up and calculating his possible vulnerable spots. If he had any; he was Captain America after all. She tried to get in close but Steve kept backing away.

“You said you were going to fight me, so fight!” she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

He frowned but threw out a weak left hook. Buffy dodged it and landed a one-two combination to his solar plexus. Steve winced and looked at her, surprised. She swept his leg quickly and he landed on his ass.

“I barely broke a sweat. Again?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow. She could see that Nat and Clint were waiting almost breathlessly for his answer. 

“Wasn’t expecting that,” Steve wheezed. “Were you an experiment too?”

“Slayer,” she said, grinning wide and bowing. “Wanna go again?”

He did this flippy gymnastic thing that landed him back on his feet. Buffy nodded appreciatively and then attacked. She whirled at his head, aiming for a sold blow. But he intercepted her arm and brought her in close for an elbow to her ribs. Buffy brought her foot up, crunching down on his instep. He yelped and let her go. She stepped back, delivering a kick to his kidneys. She kept coming at him, kicks, punches and even a head butt that made him curse. It was kind of funny to hear the word ‘fuck’ come from a national icon.

“No more holding back,” he said a wicked gleam in his eye. He moved, muscles shifting and bunching. 

“About time,” she replied; trying to read his body, visualize what he was going to do. 

Steve didn’t wait, landing a quick cross punch to her shoulder. His knee came up as well, but she caught it and pushed him away. He was lighting quick for his size, hands reaching out and delivering blows to her arms, neck, and head. Buffy was just as quick, using her smaller size to her advantage. She ducked under his reach to get in a hit to his ribs.  She wasn’t above using dirty tactics on him, like fingers to his eyes, which he just dodged. At one point Buffy ended up vaulting onto his shoulders and using her thighs to squeeze his head.

“Hey, Nat, she’s stealing your move,” Clint said. He and Natasha had moved to the wall because Buffy and Steve had not limited their fight to just the mat. They were using almost the whole gym.

“It’s a good move,” Nat said. “Remind me to show you how to refine that,” she shouted to Buffy.

Buffy just grunted in reply as Steve finally managed to get her loose. He tossed her to the floor but she rolled with it, bouncing back up to deliver a kick to his ass. He spun, spitting blood, before he lunged for her.  She used her smaller stature as leverage, getting her hands around his waist and hauling him over her head. He twisted in the air, landing on his feet. Impressive. Steve tilted his head in recognition of what she’d done before coming back at her, ready to kick her. She dodged with a back handspring. 

They stood there for a moment eyeing each other, breathing hard. Then they both smiled and knew that the fight was over, ending in a draw. They were startled by a round of applause and a shout of “well done” from a new voice. She turned to see Thor had joined the assassins, and that Bruce and Tony were standing in the doorway.

“Lady Summers, you are a fine warrior. The Lady Sif would be happy to welcome you into the company of those who fight for my father,” Thor boomed, stepping over to her and smiling. Boy howdy was he a good looking… god. 

“Thanks, but I prefer fighting for Earth in general,” Buffy replied, using her hand to wipe sweat from her brow. Steve had gone over to a bench and grabbed a towel. He threw it and a bottle of water to her. She caught both deftly, wiping her face before opening the bottle and taking a long drink.

“So I have heard from Lady Darcy. She has told me of your duty to hunt down the demons of Midgard. Heimdall has also related tales of your trials. You did not choose this path yet you still follow it. It is a wonder that you did not appear in Valhalla upon your death.  I feel that you may even be worthy enough to wield Mjolnir,” Thor pronounced.

“What’s a moley-near?” Buffy asked, scrunching up her face in confusion.

“Dear god, she’s worse than Lewis,” Tony muttered, covering his face with a hand.

“It is my hammer,” Thor said plainly. 

Buffy turned to the group. “Is that a metaphor for his…?”

“No,” Clint said with a sigh.  “He really has a hammer.”

Thor smiled and clapped his hands. “Friends! Let us adjourn to my room and see if Lady Summers is indeed worthy.”

“What the fuck just happened?” Buffy asked, looking to the rest of the Avengers for an answer. 

“Don’t ask, just follow,” Natasha said. Buffy shrugged and did just that, tossing the towel onto a bench and finishing her water.

*~*~*~*~

There were all gathered in Thor and Jane’s apartment when Darcy found them. Buffy was balancing the hammer on the palm of her hand, everyone but Thor looking on in awe.

“What? It really isn’t all that heavy. Reminds me of the troll hammer I once used.” She tossed the hammer from hand to hand, swinging it gently. 

“Troll hammer?” Tony asked. He looked eager to hear the story.

“Yeah, Olaf. He was my friend Anya’s ex. He wasn’t always a troll; he started out as a Viking, she turned him into one, when she became a vengeance demon.” Buffy’s words were casual; she shrugged it off like the occurrence was nothing and handed Mjolnir to Thor. He took it with a smile and put in away in a corner.

Darcy grinned at the casual way Buffy said that. She’d heard all the storied over the years. “Do I need to know why Buffy was holding Myeh-Myeh?”

“Mjolnir,” the entire group said.

“Whatever,” Buffy and Darcy both said, Darcy rolling her eyes. 

“Lady Darcy!” Thor said, beaming. “The Lady Buffy is truly a fine warrior. I am glad that you and she are shield sisters and work to rid Midgard of demons.”

“Yeah, well, Buffy has a meeting with Fury in an hour and I think she’d like to shower, change and eat before she does that.” 

Darcy moved so that Buffy could leave the apartment. Buffy nodded and started walking towards the door.

“I just have one question,” Nat said. Her voice was calm, almost chilly. Not a good sign Darcy knew, this could be bad. 

“Sure, I’m an open book,” Buffy said, turning back to the room.

“Tell me about the scars,” Nat said, pointing to a spot on her own neck.

Darcy gulped. Buffy didn’t like to talk about how she got those. She watched as Buffy’s hand went up and touched them, her expression shifting from nonchalance to sadness.

“My first serious boyfriend,” she said softly.

“What did he do? Burn you?” Bruce asked, leaning forward as if to get a better look at them.

Buffy stood up straight, her entire body going rigid. Darcy could tell she was preparing for something. Fight or flight, she wasn’t sure which. 

“No, he… uh…he drank from me,” she said, daring anyone to say something about that.

The whole room went silent.  Darcy was ready to run if that was what Buffy wanted to do. She was no stranger to bad relationship decisions. 

“So, you dated a vampire?” Steve finally ventured. “And you’re a vampire slayer?”

She looked him straight in the eyes. Darcy could see an eerie calm come over her. “First of all, I didn’t know he was a vampire. I hadn’t had my powers that long, didn’t know how to sense them. And second, you never really made any bad calls when YOU were sixteen?”  Buffy turned again, marching out the door, Darcy following quickly behind. Say one thing for Buffy, she knew how to make an exit.

*~*~*~

The meeting with Fury was basically outlining what he expected of her as liaison. SHIELD, and by extension the Avengers Initiative, would use her as a go-between if anything supernatural came up in New York or if aliens attacked in Scotland. After the meeting Buffy was shown to a small office that he’d assigned to her. She would need a place to work when she was in town and this suited her needs fine. She was busy reading through files when there was a tap on her open door. She looked up to see Clint leaning on the frame. Even if he was related to her (don’t ask her how, it was more like family grapevine than family tree), he was kind of yummy looking.

“What’s up?” she asked, moving the file she’d been looking at to the ‘read’ pile, grabbing one from the ‘to read’ side.

“We never did have the time to catch up, before,” he said, walking in and dropping into the chair across from her.

“No, we didn’t,” she agreed. She grinned at him. “I guess being in the circus became less fun?”

Clint snorted. “I was recruited by Special Ops, from there SHIELD and now…,” he gestured to the room around them.

“You’re an Avenger.”

“It keeps me busy. Sorry I wasn’t there for your mom, I didn’t know until too late,” Clint said, a look of regret on his face. “I wanted to be there, to say goodbye.”

“It’s okay, I had people there who cared for me. Mom would have understood,” she replied, offering him a soft smile.

“So, tell me, is this vampire boyfriend still around? Do I need to have Tony make me up some wooden arrowheads?” Clint asked, leaning forward onto the desk. His voice had a hard edge to it, the expression on his face was blank, but his eyes betrayed his feelings. They were dark and angry.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Buffy clarified. “Angel and I were done a long time ago.”

“Angel? Really? So are you seeing anyone now?” Clint asked. He sat back slowly, the anger fading from his eyes. 

“Yes, actually.” She smiled. “Do you remember Giles?”

“The dude in the tweed from before? Isn’t he the same age as your father?” Clint asked, frowning. 

“Giles and I are happy together,” Buffy said. Clint opened his mouth to say something else, but she held up a finger. “And don’t say anything more about the age difference. Angel is over two-hundred and fifty. Spike is about a hundred years younger. At least Giles and I were born in same century. Besides, do I have to bring up Darcy?”

Clint grimaced and crossed his arms over his chest. Then he nodded and let out a huff of breath. “Fine, okay. And don’t think I didn’t notice the second vampire reference there.”

“I’d come back from the dead, it was trauma reaction,” she waved a dismissive hand at him.

“You are so telling me that story later,” he said.

*~*~*~*~

Buffy had been watching Bruce mix things, check formulas and generally get his science on for about an hour now. It was kind of soothing and reminded her of Willow back in the day. He’d let her come into the lab, but only if she promised not to touch anything, and if she helped him sort out a package of supplies that had come in earlier.

“So, I hear you turn into a giant green monster when you get angry,” she commented casually. She was setting out vials of chemicals and other assorted things, marking them off an inventory list.

“Sometimes. Not as often as I used to, I have a pretty good handle on the Other Guy,” he responded., dumping the contents of one jar into another. “You don’t seem concerned by that.”

“Vampire slayer, I passed weird miles ago. Besides, I used to know a werewolf, so the Hulk? Just a larger, greener version of that. Minus the biting and the fur.” She briefly wondered how Oz was doing, where he’d ended up and if he had as much control over the wolf as Bruce seemed to have over the Hulk.

Bruce shook his head at her, smiling. “I was wondering… about your abilities. What exactly can you do?”

“I’m kinda like Steve. Enhanced strength, speed, healing, I can also sense vampires and other things,” she said, taking the last of the vials out of the box. She marked it off her list, then broke down the box and set it on the floor. She reached for another box on the counter and opened it.

“So your ex…?” he asked, putting a drop of the solution he’d been mixing onto a slide.

“I hadn’t been a Slayer very long, so I hadn’t honed my senses yet. It’s something Giles likes to tease me about. A lot,” she explained, twisting back and forth on her office chair. “I feel like I know what Steve went through-when he changed. I was all arms and legs and crashing into things after I got my powers. I didn’t know how to move in my own body.”

“And they just… came to you?” Bruce asked, stepping away from his work. He seemed really interested in the subject. It was the first time someone other than a Watcher or fellow Slayer wanted to know about her experiences. 

“Yup. Went to bed a normal teenager, woke up able to kill vampires.” She was too busy doing the inventory check on the second box to notice what Bruce was doing. She just noted that he was gathering things onto a tray.

“Would you mind if I…?” he gestured to a syringe and some vials. He wanted blood.

“Sure.”  Buffy put down the inventory list and pushed away from the table she’d been working at. She offered her arm to him, waiting as he prepped everything. “ It’s not going to turn anyone else into a Slayer. That’s all mystical. Giles might be a better person to explain it to you.”

“I have his number, if I need it.” Bruce was quick and efficient, which made Buffy happy. She’d had a slight thing about needles before she’d become a Slayer. It had only intensified after the whole Crucimentum deal. Giles was still apologizing for that. 

“Let me know if you find anything,” Buffy said. He went to grab a cotton ball to place over the needle stick, but Buffy’s Slayer abilities did what they were supposed to and the tiny pinprick wound was gone.

“Fascinating,” Bruce said, holding her arm gently and staring at it. “I will, Buffy. Thank you.”

She just nodded and then scooted back to her table, continuing her job as Bruce went to go and study her blood.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy spent the next few days just getting to know the Avengers. She went out with Darcy on patrol, one night taking Natasha and Clint out with them. They ran into a rather larger Polgara demon, taking it out after a nasty fight. There were no major injuries but Clint commented that he was never going to underestimate Darcy again. She seemed happy about that.

Mostly it was very laid back; hanging out, becoming friends with them, finding out that Steve had a wicked sense of humor, that Thor loved bad monster movies and that Bruce was secretly a master prankster. All in all, Buffy thought that she really was going to enjoy this job. She was going to miss these people when she went home at the end of the week.

On the third day after her time in Bruce’s lab, he sent a message for everyone to gather in the conference room right after lunch. He’d found something. Buffy was anxious to know what was going on. She wasn’t surprised to see Fury sitting at the table when she walked in. She was surprised to see a giant screen at the one end of the room, Giles’ face looking out from it.  He looked up and smiled when he saw her. She waved and was going to say hi, but the rest of the team, and Darcy, trickled in and settled at the table.

“So, Doctor Banner,” Fury said, steepling his hands on the table. “You called us here for a reason.”

“Yes, well… a few days ago, Buffy consented to me taking her blood for study,” he began. “What I found was… extraordinary. I wasn’t sure of my results at first. But then I had Steve and Darcy give me samples and I was sure.”

“Sure about what?” Buffy asked. What did Steve have to do with her blood? Why was Giles video conferencing with them?

“It seems that Abraham Erskine had some help in developing the serum for project Rebirth. The serum… it’s a more refined, more potent version of whatever makes a Slayer who she is. Steve’s blood is very similar to Buffy’s. I wanted to know how that was possible, so I called Mister Giles,” Bruce said, pointing to the screen.

Giles looked out at the room and smiled. He adjusted his glasses and took a breath. Buffy knew that gesture all too well. Lecture mode was engaged. “Yes, when Doctor Banner called me to tell me his findings, I was taken aback. Then I ventured into the archives.”

“I thought a lot of them were destroyed,” Darcy said frowning.

“Some, but there were surviving copies in the hands of Watcher families,” he said. “We spent the first few months after Sunnydale gathering them up, looking for new men and women to take the places of those who died. We had many Slayers to train after all. I’ve had Andrew help Willow put them all into a database.”

“And there was something there?” Buffy asked. 

“There was. It seems that Doctor Erskine came from a long line of Watchers. He was a younger son, he wasn’t necessarily needed to become one, but he would know of Slayers and what their abilities were. During the time he was starting the work that would become Project Rebirth, the Slayer and her Watcher were located in Germany.”

“Yeah, didn’t he try the serum with what’s-his-name first?” Tony asked, looking at Steve.

“Schmidt, the Red Skull,” Steve said.

Giles nodded. “Yes. As I was saying, Erskine would have had contact with them. He most likely used some of her blood to begin the process of creating the serum. And from what Doctor Banner sent me, there was also some ritualistic element to it, courtesy of her Watcher. The Slayer and Watcher escaped Germany shortly afterwards; she was Jewish.”

Steve frowned, trying to process everything Giles had said. “So I’m basically a vampire slayer?”

“No,” Giles smiled, softly chuckling. “There is something inherent in the Slayer power that will only go to females. There will never be a male Slayer. And the technology that Howard Stark contributed to your transformation, altered the serum in such a way that you cannot detect supernatural beings like Buffy can. You are something entirely new, Mister Rogers. Similar in way that I might almost refer to as being like a cousin, but you are not a Slayer.”

“Hi cuz,” Buffy grinned, waving at Steve from across the table. He smiled, waving back absently as if he was still trying to wrap his head around the information.

“What does this mean for the Avengers?” Fury asked. “Could you replicate the serum?”

“I don’t know. Every attempt to do so hasn’t ended well,” Bruce said, fidgeting nervously.

“Director Fury, I will not allow you to try anything of the sort with Buffy’s blood. You try and our alliance will be no more,” Giles said. His voice was flat and Buffy shivered at the menace in his eyes. She wished she wasn’t half a world away from him. Protective Giles was sexy.

“Mister Giles, at the moment, I’m not really seeing how this alliance is benefitting SHIELD or the Avengers Initiative in any way. Why should I continue it?” Fury asked. He stood from the table, anger radiating from every pore. 

“You shan’t,” he said. He looked at Buffy, ignoring Fury’s indignation. “Be ready in an hour, I’m having Willow transport you out of there.  I’m going to ask that Doctor Banner return the samples he took. Darcy, it is up to you whether you help them or not, I will not judge you, but I hope that you will refuse.”

Darcy just nodded, Clint hovering close to her, ready to stop anyone who might hurt her, even if Darcy could handle herself.

“See you soon, Giles,” Buffy said. He nodded to her and turned off the connection on his end. She turned to Bruce. “Will you give them to me? Or do I have to collect them?”

“I’ll bring them to you. You don’t have to worry about me doing anything,” he said, moving away from Fury. “Darcy is a friend, almost family. I won’t be using her to help rebuild the super soldier program.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said. She got up from the table, leaving the rest of them to deal with Fury. She ignored his shouts and walked quickly to the elevator. She was met there by Steve. He held out a hand to her.

“I wanted to let you know, Miss Summers, that I won’t let Fury do anything. Darcy means a lot to all of us. It’s like Bruce said; other attempts to use the serum haven’t gone well. She’s safe from him, even if it means I’m not a part of SHIELD anymore,” he said. She took his hand and shook it.

“Thanks you, Captain. It’s good to know my sister slayer has back up. I hope I can still e-mail you guys,” she smiled.

“Darcy has me signed up with something called Twitter,” he said. “I’ll have her send you the information.”

Buffy nodded and stepped into the elevator when the door dinged open. She watched him turn back to the room, wondering what could have been. At least she had new friends out of the deal.

*~*~*~*~*

Giles called her as she was getting packed. JARVIS had put the call through.

“Sorry, love, but Willow is unable to get you back; she has to deal with a rogue sorcerer in Mexico. But Mister Stark called me and offered his jet as a favor to Darcy,” he said.

“Its okay, Giles. It would have been hard enough on her with all my bags,” Buffy said, tucking a pair of new shoes into a suitcase.

“How much is this trip going to set me back?” Giles asked with a sigh. Buffy could imagine the frown lines appearing and wished she could be there to kiss them away.

“Nothing, honest. Pepper took me and Darcy out as a treat. The Council’s coffers have not suffered for my fashion,” she said, smirking to herself as she lovingly laid out the new lingerie she’d surprise him with when she got back. “Anyway, I’ve got to finish packing if I’m going to get home to you sooner. Love you.”

“And I you, Buffy, always,” he said, his voice warm. 

Buffy smiled as the connection broke, looking forward to being back home. 

“Buffy, Miss Lewis wishes to know if you need help with your bags,” JARVIS said after a moment. “Also, Mister Stark says that he will provide a car for you to the airport.”

“Tell Darcy yes and thank Tony for me, will you?” she said, sitting on the last case to get it zipped closed.

“I will, Buffy,” he said.

There was a knock on her door a moment later, followed by “Buffy, it’s me,” from Darcy. Buffy opened it and let her in.

“Did we really buy that much?” Darcy asked, looking at all the suitcases lying around. 

“We really did,” Buffy said.  She turned to Darcy, laying her hands on Darcy’s arms. “Are you going to be okay here? You could come with me if you wanted.”

Darcy smiled and shook her head. “No, this is home now. I think if Fury wanted to try anything, he has several people he has to get through first. I kinda feel like they’re all my very own Scoobies. Super-powered Scoobies, but mine nonetheless.”

“Good, I’m glad. You know how to call us if you really need us, right?”

“Yeah, I got the minimum witchy training, so I can send a telepathic message if I need you pronto. I really hope not, Clint and I need the down time,” Darcy said, picking up four of the suitcases.

Buffy picked up the other four. “I know how you feel. I can’t wait to get back to Giles.”

“Look at us, being all adult and everything,” Darcy said, smiling as they walked to the elevator. “When did that happen?”

“I have no idea. But I like it,” Buffy said.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had said goodbye to Darcy at the Tower, getting into the car Tony had provided. The drive to the airport was smooth and uneventful and the name Stark got her through security and into a VIP room in no time at all. She was sipping an espresso when a man appeared on her right. She looked up to see the face of someone she had heard was dead.

“May I sit, Miss Summers?” he asked, indicating the seat across from hers. She nodded and he sat, removing his sunglasses as he regarded her. “You know me,” he said.

“I saw the file,” she answered, sipping her drink.

“You don’t seem surprised that I’m here.”

She laughed. “I’ve had a bit of experience coming back from the dead, Agent Coulson. What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry that things didn’t work out, I was hoping Nick would be more … diplomatic about things,” he said, leaning forward, hands on his knees. 

“Anytime someone tries to use me, I tend to get a bit upset,” she said mildly. “Are just here to offer an apology? I don’t need SHIELD’s apology.”

“No, I’m not here for that,” he said. He sat back up, moved his hand to an inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew a card. He offered it to her. “It’s my direct number. I operate a small team of agents. We are always available to help out in any situation.”

She looked at the card warily. “Does Fury have anything to do with this?”

“No, he doesn’t. I respect the Director, but sometimes he gets too… focused to know a good thing when he sees it. Right now he wants weapons to fight. He doesn’t get that you need people too; friends to call in to use those weapons. I would like to consider you a friend, Miss Summers.”

“Buffy,” she said, taking the card. “If we’re going to work together, you have to call me Buffy.”

“Buffy. Then please call me Phil,” he said, smiling. 

“Thank you, Phil,” she said. “I hope I don’t have to call you in.”

“Neither do I, Buffy, but we’ll be there if you need us. Have a safe trip home. Tell Rupert that we’re even.”

He stood and walked away quickly before she could ask how he knew Giles. There was going to be a long talk happening when she got home.

*~*~*~*

Giles was waiting for her at the door of the mansion when her car pulled up. Being the head of the ICW meant that he had the time and authority to do as he pleased. The cool Scottish air greeted her as Buffy opened her door. She fairly flew towards him, grinning as he steadied his stance, opening his arms to catch her. She wrapped herself around him, pulling his face down for a kiss. Giles replied by tightening his arms around her, dragging her closer and deepening the kiss. When they broke apart, she smiled up softly at him.

“God, I missed you,” she sighed.

“I wouldn’t have known,” he replied dryly, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I’ll send one of the girls to take your bags up. I want to know everything. It seems that Nicholas Fury has made himself an enemy.”

“Just don’t judge the rest of them by his actions. I kind of like them all. They would be handy to have in a fight,” Buffy said, looping her arm in his as they turned to go into the mansion.

“That’s why you are going to tell me everything,” he said. “Where to start?”

“How about telling me how you know Phil Coulson?” she replied, handing him the card.

He took it and blanched. “I thought he was dead.”

“Not so much,” Buffy said. “He wants to do what Fury couldn’t. Cheer up, he says you’re even. I’ll make us some tea and you can tell me the story.”

Giles just nodded and followed her. Buffy smiled, it was good to be home.


End file.
